Story-Time at the Venice Library

      Last Tuesday, it was my pleasure to be the guest author, for Preschool  Story-Time "Viva Florida!-500-Flamingos" at the Venice Library, reading my picture book "Oliver's Wish" (subtitle A Tale From the Garden) .   I was asked to wear something pink. I did. Pink jeans and shirt and white vee neck sweatshirt with 2 large pink flamingos painted on the front.  The children's librarian, Jo Lize, and her volunteer greeted me wearing pink shirts. In the Story-Time room where I was to read (paraphrase) Oliver's Wish, they had placed, next to the chair I was to sit in, an easel to hold a poster of Oliver standing with "others that fly and others that crawl and lived in the garden by the wall."  A stuffed Flamingo sitting in another chair, was patiently waiting to be hugged and on table just behind the easel was a stack of 'pictures to color' that had been downloaded, on pink paper,  from "Oliver's" website www.talesfromthegarden.org  These were to be handed out after the Story-Time for the children to take home.

After Oliver's Wish had been read and after the stuffed flamingo had been cuddled and hugged, it was time for the kids to stand and move about.  As a volunteer played the tune to "This Old Man"' (Knick, knack, paddy whack) on the keyboard, the kids paraded around the room swinging their arms, around and round with a clack itty clack itty sound, just as Oliver does in the book.

Then, it was to the craft table where each child was given a paper flamingo and  a pair of wings to color and fasten to the flamingo with cotter pins - which allowed the wings to turn freely.  Befor leaving, each child was encouraged to go to the shelf in the back of the room and look through the five picture books of different flamingo stories that where on display.

To soon Story-Time hour was over.  It had been an hour that was carefully planned and orchestrated to stimulate imaginations and open young minds to the joy of reading, and yet, cleverly highlighted
my picture book.

                                                    
                                           

Kudos to librarians and volunteers who, week after week, work so effortlessly to bring the story time hour to our young children.

Thank you, children's librarian, Jo Lize and volunteers at the Venice Library.